Tunable laser-based chemical imaging system

Title: Tunable laser-based chemical imaging system

Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Claims

The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060082777, Tunable laser-based chemical imaging system.

1. A chemical imaging system comprising: a tunable light source; a light delivery medium for delivering light of a specific tuned wavelength from said tunable light source to a sample; and a detector, for detecting light reflected from or transmitted through said sample.

2. The chemical imaging system of claim 1 further comprising: a controller for tuning said tunable light source in a pre-determined pattern; and a data collection device for collecting and storing information from said detector.

3. T he chemical imaging system of claim 2 wherein said tunable light source is a laser capable of being tuned to generate light of a specific wavelength.

4. The chemical imaging system of claim 3 wherein said specific wavelength is within the near infrared band.

5. The chemical imaging system of claim 3 wherein said specific wavelength is within a band select from a group consisting of infrared, near infrared, visible and ultraviolet.

6. The chemical imaging system of claim 3 wherein said light delivery medium is selected from a group consisting of fiber optic cables and hollow wave guides.

7. The chemical imaging system of claim 6 wherein said detector is a camera.

8. The chemical imaging system of claim 7 wherein said camera is capable of capturing images in the near infrared.

9. The chemical imaging system of claim 8 wherein said camera utilizes a focal plane array.

10. The chemical imaging system of claim 7 wherein said light delivery medium further comprises a terminus capable of illuminating said sample with a uniform pattern of light.

11. The chemical imaging system of claim 10 wherein said terminus is an integrating sphere.

12. The chemical imaging system of claim 10 wherein said light delivery medium comprises: one or more beam splitters coupled to said tuned light source; and two or more discrete pathways coupled to said splitter for the delivery of tuned light from said splitter to two or more terminals.

13. The chemical imaging system of claim 12 further comprising one or more reference detectors for detecting the intensity of said tuned light at one or more points along said light delivery medium.

14. The chemical imaging system of claim 13 wherein said one or more reference detectors includes a source reference detector configured to detect the intensity of tuned light as it leaves said tuned light source.

15. The chemical imaging system of Claim. 14 wherein said source reference detector is coupled to said light delivery element via a beam splitter.

16. The chemical imaging system of claim 13 wherein said one or more reference detectors includes a terminus reference detector coupled to each of said terminals to measure the intensity of light at each of said terminals.

17. The chemical imaging system of claim 2 wherein said controller and said data collection device is a computer.

18. The chemical imaging system of claim 14 wherein said controller and said data collection device is a computer.

19. The chemical imaging system of claim 18 wherein said computer is coupled to said tunable light source and is capable of instructing said tunable light source to tune its output to a given discrete wavelength within a predefined band of wavelengths.

20. The chemical imaging system of claim 19 wherein said computer is capable of sequencing said tunable light source through a predefined series of wavelengths.

21. The chemical imaging system of claim 19 wherein said computer is coupled to said camera and is capable of capturing images from said camera and storing said images on a storage medium.

22. The chemical imaging system of claim 21 wherein said computer is coupled to said one or more reference detectors and is capable of receiving a reading from each of said one or more reference detectors representing the intensity of said tuned light at each of said detectors.

23. The chemical imaging system of claim 22 wherein said computer is capable of normalizing said stored image collected from said camera with respect to any combination of readings from said one or more reference detectors.

24. The chemical imaging system of claim 23 wherein said computer is capable of detecting noise generated by other components in the system and correcting said stored images to eliminate the effect of said noise.

25. The chemical imaging system of claim 24 wherein said noise is detected by collecting mage data absent any illumination and subtracting the collected image from images collected for each wavelength use to illuminate said sample.

26. A chemical imaging system comprising: a near infrared tunable laser; a light delivery medium for delivering one or more pathways of light from said tunable laser to a sample; and a camera, capable of imaging in the near infrared band, for capturing images of light reflected from or transmitted through said sample.

27. The chemical imaging system of claim 26 further comprising a computer, coupled to said tunable laser for controlling the wavelength of light output by said laser and coupled to said camera, for capturing and storing said images captured by said camera.

28. The chemical imaging system of claim 27 further comprising one or more reference detectors located at various points along said light delivery medium for collecting information regarding the intensity of light at said various points, said reference detectors being coupled to said computer and being capable if communicating said intensity information to said computer.

29. The chemical imaging system of claim 28 further comprising one or more beam splitters for splitting said light delivery medium into multiple pathways or for attaching said reference detectors at said various points.

30. The chemical imaging system of claim 29 wherein said computer is capable of normalizing said stored images with respect to one or more of said reference detectors.

31. The chemical imaging system of claim 26 wherein said camera utilizes a sensing element select from a group consisting of a charge coupled device and a focal plane array.

Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Claims

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